Can you really have a Rowenta for less than $65? Could it really be true?
At first glance, the Rowenta DW2070 seems to have all of the features other Rowenta irons offer, but at almost half the price. It claims to be powerful both in the heat and steam departments, but I had also heard that it might not be up to Rowenta’s usual standards.
I needed to know. Just how effective is it? Are the rumors of poor quality true?
Description
The DW2070 is Rowenta’s economy model steam iron. It includes plenty of design features that their higher-end irons have, but at nearly half the cost. The major difference is that this iron isn’t made in Germany like the rest of their irons are.
Features include self-clean mode, auto shutoff, variable steam settings, ability to steam vertically, and a smooth gliding soleplate with precision-tip design.
This model replaces Rowenta’s DX1700. Though I haven’t had the pleasure of using the older model, from what I can tell the DW2070 is made a bit better.
Heat, Temperature Settings and Warm-up
Compared to other models similar in price, this iron heats up extremely well, though maybe not quite as quickly as other Rowenta steam irons.
It has a power rating of 1600 watts, which certainly is more than enough to heat it to temperatures hot enough to take care of wrinkled cotton or linen.
Fabric and universal iron temperature settings are found right on the dial. When it’s plugged in and set to a specific temperature, the thermostat light will glow to let you know when it’s heating up. Once it’s up to temperature, the light will turn off.
Though I feel the temperature settings are accurate, it does seem that there are some lemons out there – it’s not unheard of to receive a unit that’s either too hot or too cold. Unlikely, but not unheard of.
Powerful Steam Features
The Rowenta Effective Comfort steam iron has variable constant steam settings. With 6 different settings from dry to maximum steam output, the DW2070 puts you in control of how much steam it creates.
It also has a steam-on-demand button that Rowenta calls the “Shot of Steam.” Unlike comparably priced irons that force you to press the button multiple times to activate, all it needs is one hit to give you an extra boost of steam.
That same button will also act as your control for vertically steaming your hanging garments or drapes, but instead of pressing it once, it’s held down. After making enough passes over your fabric to run the steam out, it needs to be held soleplate-down for 10 seconds to allow water to cycle through and warm up.
The spray mist is okay, but I found that the mist isn’t as good as some other irons in its class. It’s personally not a feature I use very much – but it is useable.
Overall, it does steam extremely well and very evenly if you use it on the recommended temperature settings. It doesn’t steam properly on anything less than the cotton setting.
One problem I ran across was that water would collect in the steam vents when it was first warming up to temperature. If this happens, all you have to do is iron one pass on an old towel to remove it and it will steam properly from that time on. This might only happen the first time you use the DW2070, or it might happen every time. Either way, the quality of steam it puts out after that point is great, and worth the minor hassle.
Rowenta DW2070 Soleplate
I really like the shape of the soleplate. The way the tip is narrowed really helps to get around buttons in a way that you would never actually expect. If you iron a lot of button-up shirts, pay attention to this feature, because it’s something I would never have considered a huge benefit until I saw it for myself.
The base is nice and round, and this is a good thing because it reduces drag and will lessen those tiny wrinkles that are caused by flat-ended soleplates.
The stainless steel soleplate is scratch-resistant, and overall glides very smoothly over clothes. And with the 300 tiny steam holes perfectly distributed throughout the soleplate, it delivers steam in a way that other mid-range irons can’t come close to.
Performance & Design
At three pounds, to me, the Rowenta DW2070 feels just about right weight-wise. It’s not so light that it won’t iron, but it’s not so heavy that you’ll feel strained, especially with the way the handle is designed to support your hand.
There is actually a thumb rest designed right into the casing that makes your movements a bit more ergonomic, and a lot more comfortable.
It also has a large base that makes it very stable when standing upright, and it doesn’t feel like it will tip over accidentally.
Though many of us don’t put much thought into how an iron looks, I really like the sleek shape and the lovely contrast of the blue and white colors. This is an iron designed to look good, but not loud enough to call your attention to it every time you walk by it.
Water Tank
The water tank holds a little less than other Rowenta irons, but it’s no slouch either. It holds a substantial 8 ½ ounces which is more than enough in other irons, but remember that the DW2070 does have far more steam holes to fill and in turn makes large amounts of steam, so it will go through a tank of water a lot faster.
The entire topside of the tank is clear, letting you see how much water is in the tank with just a glance. The tank’s water inlet is covered securely with a large hinged cap to prevent water from splashing out onto your clothes.
Under ideal conditions, tap water is suggested for filling the DW2070 Effective Comfort steam iron. If your tap water has a high mineral content, the recommendation is to dilute your tap water up to 50% with distilled water.
Rowenta DW2070 Auto Shutoff
I love auto-shutoff irons. I’ve mentioned in other reviews that I have a tendency to walk away from my ironing. I’ll plan to be gone for just a minute, and next thing you know, I’m making dinner and I realize that I still had a few shirts left to iron. It happens to all of us – but I think it happens to me a little more than most.
The DW2070 will shut itself off after sensing no movement for 8 minutes, but it will also sense if it has been left on its soleplate or side and turn off after only 30 seconds.
I specifically want to point out this 30-second timer because many other models in this price range will take 60 seconds or longer to turn off. A popular competing model even advertises ‘3-way’ auto-shutoff but will take a full 10 minutes to shut off when left on its side or soleplate – I know some of you will find this very important.
Cord
The cord on the Rowenta DW2070 is 7’ long and connects to the iron via pivoting ball joint that allows you to rotate it and push the cord out of your way. The base is designed to easily wrap the cord around it for storage.
If 7’ isn’t long enough, make sure you have a 120-volt extension cord that can safely carry at least 13 amps. Most extension cords have a tag with its rating printed on it. Using cords that won’t carry enough electricity can get very hot and start fires or cause electrical shock.
DW2070 Controls & Settings
1. Rotating Power Cord
Found at the back behind the handle, the cord is attached to the iron via a rotating connector. This feature lets you easily push the cord out of your way.
2. Thermostat Indicator Light
This light turns on when the iron is warming up to the selected temperature and goes out when it reaches it. Note that it turns on and off while ironing to show that it’s working to keep accurate.
3. Temperature Dial
This large dial is found underneath the handle. Temperature settings include fabric appropriate settings (Nylon, Silk, Wool, Cotton, Linen) as well as Ironing Laundry Symbol settings ( • [low] •• [medium] ••• [high] ) that correspond with most laundry tags.
4. Auto-Off Indicator Light
This little light is found on top of the DW2070, between the handle and the Steam Boost & Spray buttons. When the iron senses it hasn’t moved in 8 minutes, or if it’s left on its side or soleplate, it will shut down and this light will blink rapidly. Once the iron is moved, the light will shut off and the iron will heat up to its currently set temperature.
5. Steam Boost & Spray Buttons
These two buttons are found side-by-side just above the handle. The Steam Boost button is perfect for when you want more steam, while the Spray button will mist your material when you need a bit more moisture.
6. Variable Steam Setting Switch
Do you want a lot of steam, none at all or somewhere in between? This switch has you covered. With a total of seven settings from Dry to Max, getting the right amount of steam is easy.
This is also where the Auto Clean setting is found. Only use this setting while cleaning the DW2070 as directed by the manual.
7. Comfort Thumb Rest
A special groove molded right into the housing, this special spot for your thumb was created to make ironing feel like more of a natural movement.
8. Water inlet & Cap
The cap that covers the water inlet has tabs near the top to help you open it when filling the water tank. It flips down to keep out of your way. The water inlet is big enough to let air out while letting the water run in, meaning that you’re less likely to spill water all over the iron.
9. Spray Nozzle
Perfectly placed, the spray nozzle is just above the tip of the iron.
Note: There is no switch or setting to power down the DW2070. Unplug it after each use.
Cleaning & Care
Cleaning the Rowenta DW2070 is really easy. Clean the soleplate and housing after every use by a wiping down with a slightly dampened clean cloth or sponge. Never use any chemicals, detergents, or abrasive pads.
There is an Anti-Calc filter built into the water tank to help reduce scale and mineral buildup in the vents and on your soleplate. This filter doesn’t need replacing or cleaning.
The Self-Clean cycle should be used every two weeks, more often if you have harder water. It really only takes a few minutes, and it will ensure that the DW2070 keeps its vents clean and leak-free. Just fill it up, heat it to full temperature, unplug it, and set it to Self-Clean. Hold it horizontally over the sink and press the steam boost button for a minute, or until it’s finished draining. Then set it to dry, and heat it up again to dry the vents and your soleplate completely.
Sometimes buildup on the soleplate happens, especially if you use starch or iron a lot of delicate synthetics. To help keep your soleplate gliding smooth, Rowenta recommends using their cleaning kit. It comes with a soft cloth and a tube of specially formulated cleanser that will get rid of just about anything that sticks to your soleplate.
Dimensions
Upright Height: 11”
Soleplate Width: 6”
Height from bottom of soleplate to top of handle: 4.8”
Weight: 3 lbs
Pros
- Much more affordable than other Rowenta models
- Soleplate design makes for smooth ironing
- Loads of steam and plenty of heat compared to others in this price range
- Plenty of recommendations from highly trusted sources
- Auto Clean and Anti-Calc features included
Cons
- Instructions are all illustrated, and some find them difficult to interpret
- Water droplets can form on soleplate while heating up
- A little high-maintenance: Needs to be cleaned regularly
- Not quite as high-quality as Rowenta’s more expensive irons
Consumer Ratings
The Rowenta DW2070 has been listed as a top pick by several product testing institutes. As I researched its background, I learned that one such institute had ranked it 4th out of all irons it had tested and gave it a score of excellent overall. Another said it was the best iron on the market for the money.
That says a lot, doesn’t it?
And customer reviews, for the most part, echo these published sentiments. I was surprised to find in the mix many seamstresses, quilters and professionals that were happy with the DW2070. To me, that is a huge compliment to an iron, because these are the people that iron day in and day out.
But hold on a minute – it appears that though there have been some complaints in the past about water leaking and overall quality. I’m happy to say that when I looked closer at the numbers, these types of complaints seem to have lessened greatly in the last year.
I don’t know if the factory that produces them started paying attention to how they were making them or if there were actual design changes, but I went through the numbers and there definitely has been a shift for the better.
In the last year, nearly 85% of customer reviewers were happy with this model – a rise of over 15% from all other years combined!
Price of the Rowenta DW2070 Effective Comfort Steam Iron
The Rowenta DW2070 Effective Comfort steam iron has a list price of $65, though it seems to be more commonly sold for $50.
Quite honestly, considering the next Rowenta model up from the DW2070 is listed at $100, I think $50 is a great price.
Look for around a bit and I’m sure you can easily find it for that. Try Amazon, as they seem to consistently have the lowest price.
Summary
Overall, I was very impressed with the Rowenta DW2070. It’s not quite as good as my other Rowenta, but it easily stands out as the best steam iron I’ve reviewed in its price range.
This is a great step-up iron. Those who are used to cheap irons and are interested in ironing better and more effectively will be blown away by the DW2070. It’s also simple enough to use that it would be a great choice for novices.
It seems that sewers and quilters like this iron, but remember that this model does include the auto-off feature. I haven’t checked to see if there is a similar model without the auto-off, but if I run across it, I’ll update this review.
But those who are used to the quality and performance of Rowenta’s German-made models will find this iron to be a step down. While it’s a great pick compared to other irons in its price range, it isn’t quite as good as other Rowenta steam irons.
The bottom line is that I found the Rowenta DW2070 Effective Comfort steam iron to be superior compared to other mid-range models. As long as you don’t expect it to be a high-end iron, it will exceed your expectations.
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